The nationwide competition will offer independent live music venues across the UK the chance to win one of six regional prizes of up to £10,000, helping to improve live music experiences for the local community, music creators, performers, and music fans.
One of the prizes is dedicated to venues in the South and East of England and entries are open now.
Independent live music venues are pivotal, not only in the music industry ecosystem, but within local communities, providing cultural spaces that inspire the next generation of singer-songwriters.
Genesis Elijah, Bedfordshire-based rapper, singer, songwriter, producer and Back to Live Music Venue Prize 2022 ambassador for the South and East of England, said:
"They say go local before you go global and that phrase is really the key to any successful act we've ever seen make it big in music.
"The opportunity to play local shows in independent venues is so important to artists because it allows you to build your foundation.
"We speak a lot about how important it is to network and these are the places where that can really happen at a meaningful level.
"You get to meet other people doing what you do at the same stage and on the same stage.
"To this day I credit being able to perform regularly at my local venue (Trinity in Harrow) as a major part of my career because it's where I learnt if I can move 20 people then maybe I can move 2000.
"PRS for Music's Back to Live Music Venue Prize is amazing and super important because live music is the foundation of all we do."
With restrictions being lifted across the UK, music creators are eager to get back on stage and fans to once again enjoy live music.
PRS for Music's Back to Live Music Venue Prize competition will run throughout the year and is open to independent live music venues that are not part of a national brand.
Venues can be bespoke music venues or be part of another business such as a pub or bar, as long as they had an established standalone live music offering before the COVID-19 pandemic.
Judges are looking for live music venues at the heart of their communities in which the £10,000 prize will make a real difference to the venue, music fans, and local music creators.
To enter the competition, applicants must detail how the prize money would be spent, and what it would mean for their business to win.
The judging panel will be made up of leading figures and representatives from across the music, arts, and hospitality sectors.